Angel
by Shinigami29
Summary: Correspondence Piece to 'Wings of Despair'. Yaoi. Sonic wants to help the one he loves... but will he be allowed?


Hello everyone! Lots of positive feedback^_^ I'm guessing I did Knuckles POV pretty well... and well, JUST for you guys, I'm doing a counter part ta Wings of Despair! Lets hope I finish it... 

Oh, for all you that _are_ reading this, think ya could give me some info on 'Crashed, Burned, and Lived to Tell'. I HAVE got a plot line... I just don't know how ta get inta de second chap^_^;; 

Pixie: Oh... stop begging... 

Ami: i haven't said the disclaimer yet 

Morder: non, you 'aven't... and you forgot to zay your 'zpecicial line'! 

Ami: *checks* oh my god! I did! *faints* 

Disclaimer: I do NOT, under ANY circumstance, own Sonic or the song 'Angel' by Sara Mclachlan. If I did, I wouldn't be here, on my knees, begging you not to rat me out. I DON'T WANNA GET SUED!!! 

**Angel**

_spend all your time waiting  
for that second chance_

Sonic sat in his hut, staring at the roof. He was avoiding everyone who was looking for him. He knew they were... Sally wanted to get him to do some reconstruction of some kind while they could, since Robotnik seemed to be dormant scheming up another plan. 

_'Damn...'_ he sighed. _'I'm bored...'_ He fell onto his back, blankets poofing up around him as he did so, and closed his eyes. _'Wonder what Knuckles is doing...'_

He moaned softly, and pounded his head into the feather mattress. 

_for a break that would make it okay_

"If only..." he said aloud to himself. "If only I knew if he felt the say way about me..." 

"If only who?" Sonic jumped, and looked up at the entrance to his hut; Tails was standing there, looking at him innocently. 

"No one!" Sonic said quickly; he knew Tails knew... everyone knew. It was sort of hard not to know, but he liked to pretend that none of them knew... 

If no one knew, it was easier to get over, right? 

_there's always one reason  
to feel not good enough  
and it's hard at the end of the day_

_'Wrong...'_ he scolded himself in his mind. _'The only way to get over something is to face it, not to run away like a coward... damn it, if I can't even face up to my mind how will I ever face up to him? He could never feel as I do...'_

"Sonic?" Sonic looked up, and blinked a few times. Tails was looking at him strangely. "Did you even hear what I said?" 

"Sure I did!" Sonic said, a little too quickly. "Heard every word!" 

"Then what did I say?" Tail asked, trying not to laugh. 

"Um... heh heh..." Sonic bit his tongue and tried to regain his loss. "Do I have to repeat every word?" 

"As I was saying," Tails had to pause for a second as he finished laughing. "I finished the repairs on the Tornado; Sally is really mad at you, but I think I can get you up to Angel Island, as long as you plan on doing some serious training so that she won't be TOO upset when you get back." 

"Tails, Buddy," Sonic smiled; he wanted to just hug the kitsune and tell him how he was dying for ANYONE to tell him that, but he refrained himself. "You and I both know that Sally is only grouchy because it's too early in the morning. She'll be nice and calm whenever I get back." 

"That is only if she doesn't want to kill you," Tails pointed out, and then started to leave. 

"Cheeky kid..." Sonic muttered, but ignored it and zipped past him, beating him to the Tornado. When Tails arrived a few seconds later, Sonic yawned. "What took ya so long?" 

"Get in," Tails rolled his eyes and climbed into the cockpit, Sonic behind him. They both strapped in, and then Tails started them off. Sonic just stared out of the window, yawning again and feigning sleep. 

_I need some distraction  
oh beautiful release_

_'Damn it... damn it... damn it... this trip will make it worse...'_ Sonic looked out at the early rising sun. His eyes were attracting to the stunning reds, until he found one particular shade of it... _'I don't know whether to curse you Tails, or to bless you with all of my heart... probably the latter...'_

The hour it took to get up to Angel Island passed by agonizingly slow to Sonic. He was used to speed... he could of gotten them there faster if they could travel by land. But there was something else... 

His heart was pounding a hundred times a second, and yet he could still clearly hear giant gaps between each one. Filling those gaps was the light sound of wings. 

Butterflies that were flying all around his stomach. 

Sonic just kept searching the skies for anything to keep his mind off of the landing to come... 

Off of seeing _him_ again... 

_memory seeps from my veins_

He shut his eyes again, going back to the last time he had been on Angel Island... 

_**

//Flashback//

** _

"Sonic," Knuckles was just looking at him blankly. Uncaringly. To Sonic it was worse then when he looked at him with hatred. 

At least hatred was an emotion. 

"I will tell you only one more time... Leave. My. Island." 

"Awe... come on Knuckles!" Sonic grinned as best as be could, though his heart was shattering with the stare he was receiving. "Can't we put the past behind us? Let's just be buddies!" 

"This is your last warning Hedgehog," Knuckles warned. Then he turned, and walked away. 

"Yeah, yeah..." Sonic's shoulders slumped down as his eyes drooped. "I know the drill..." and he started to walk away. "You hate me anyway..." 

**//End//**

That had been six months ago now... Robotnik had kept him from coming sooner. 

That and the look that haunted his dreams... 

_let me be empty  
and weightless and maybe_

_'I just need to not think of him...'_ Sonic told himself. _'If I don't think about him, I'll be perfectly fine...'_

"We're here," Tails said softly. It startled Sonic, but he didn't show it, and nodded. 

"When will you be back?" he whispered back. 

"Sometime in the afternoon," Tails responded. "See you then?" 

"Of course Lil' Buddy," Sonic managed to give him his trademark grin, and got out of the Tornado as quickly as possible. Tails took off soon after, leaving as much faster then he had come, making Sonic believe that he had been mocking him somehow... 

Shaking his head, he turned and started the walk the endless trails that he had mesmerized long ago. He wanted to go wait at the bottom of the mountain that the temple the Master Emerald was on... 

He would see _him_ sooner then... 

_I'll find some peace tonight_

"Peace and quiet," he commented to the air. He continued for he clearing, knowing he could walk there with his eyes closed. 

He didn't even know why he was walking... normally he would just run. 

_'But he doesn't want you here...'_ he reminded himself. _'He hates you...'_

He started to hum to fill the silence, and continued. He kept looking at his feet. 

One foot in front of another... 

First the left... 

Then the right... 

Left... 

Right... 

Tree root... 

"Ack!" Sonic yelped as he tripped. He groaned as he pushed himself up, and glared at the offending root popping up from the earth. Pulling himself back up to a stance, he continued at a slightly faster pace, being more careful now. 

When he finally reached the clearing, he muttered a curse to himself. Looking around, he tried to think of what he should do. 

_'Knuckles wouldn't want a weak advisory...'_ he thought. _'And besides... Tails told me to train...'_

So he went to the nearest tree and started to do chin-ups. For the first fifty or so, he counted in his head, but then he thought of something. 

_'How will he know I'm here if I don't make any sound?'_

That was silly though... Knuckles probably already knew he was there and was planning on how to cook him for dinner. He would probably he safer not counting aloud... 

He slowed his chin-ups slightly, so that he could feel the strain on his muscles. 

"Fifty-six... fifty-seven..." he muttered as his chin was level with the branch each time. "Fifty-eight... fifty-nine... sixty... sixty-one..." 

And so it went, until he finally got to one thousand. 

He could have done more... but he was just buying time anyway. 

He let go of the branch and fell to the ground. Crouching there for a second, he breathed and closed his eyes. 

Oh how he would love to just sink into the earth and never think about this again... 

Standing up straight, he stretched out his arms and biceps. Once done, he let himself start on push-ups, putting his fingertips together to work out his triceps as well. 

"One..." he started. He went fast for the first hundred, but then slowed down, really pushing through the earth to make it harder. "One hundred-three... one hundred-four... one hundred-five... one hundred-six..." 

"Sonic," he stopped, his heart leaping as he looked up. There was Knuckles, at the edge of the clearing. He smiled shyly up at him, a rare one that people didn't see that often. "What are you doing here?" 

"Yo Knucklehead!" Sonic zipped up in front of him; he didn't miss the surprise on his face, but his heart dropped when he saw the glare. "Can't I come and visit my bud?" 

"You are no 'bud' of mine," Knuckles sneered at him. "Leave." 

"It's a free Island," Sonic forced a laugh, but really didn't feel it. 

So he still hated him... 

"It's also my Island," Knuckles pushed him, and Sonic felt as if his world had ended... "And I'm telling you to leave; you attract trouble too easily." 

"I'm hurt..." Sonic prayed that his acting skills worked better on Knuckles then on Sally... "And I don't ALWAYS attract trouble..." he guessed they did when Knuckles glared at him more. "Okay... okay... but it's not my fault that 'Butnik likes to try to ruin my life!" 

He started to leave, and Sonic had to strain his ears as he said something to him. 

"Just leave," he muttered out. 

It seemed strange to Sonic... not like any of the other times he had told him to leave... 

"And what if I don't want to?" Sonic asked a little daringly. 

He didn't know if he wanted to know the answer. 

"Do you not see?" Knuckles turned and looked at him. "You are a weakness I cannot have! Leave now!" Sonic stared at him, and saw something in his eyes... 

It was something he saw every time he looked into a mirror... 

_'Maybe... maybe he does feel it?'_

"Your not alone Knuckles," was all Sonic could manage. He walked up to him, almost fearfully, though he hoped he covered it well, and placed his hand on his shoulder, thinking of what else to say. 

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, he was silenced by a hit in the jaw. 

It sent him skidding back into the ground a foot or two away, and Sonic rubbed hard at the newly sour spot. He was sure there was going to be a bruise. 

It was the blood that got him. 

_'Damn...'_ Sonic thought, looking up at Knuckles. _'Now I've got blood all over him... damn it...'_

Looking at Knuckles, there was only a tad bit of blood on his fist, but Sonic was still certain that he had done something wrong... 

Why else would Knuckles hit him? 

He always did something wrong... 

"People might care about you Sonic," Knuckles said to him; Sonic listened as every word was engraved within his memory. "But the only reason that people give a shit about me is the Master Emerald... so just keep away. You're a weakness." 

And he turned and left. 

Sonic sat there for awhile stunned and heart pounding by words he barely understood. 

_'Maybe he cares?'_

Sonic went back to the ground. 

"One hundred-seven... one hundred-eight..." he continued. He just continued, his mind wondering to wherever it wished. "One hundred-nine... one hundred-ten... one hundred-eleven..." 

_'Lots of people care about him... and some of them care so much it hurts... care so much they would die for him...'_

"One hundred-twelve... one hundred-thirteen..." 

Sonic's voice continued long after he stopped listening to it. 

_'Damn it... if anyone else thinks about him like that...'_

"Two hundred-twenty... two hundred, twenty-one... two hundred, twenty-two... two hundred, twenty-three..." 

_'I... would I kill them? No... That's below me... besides... he might fall in love with someone like that...'_

"Three hundred, sixty-six... three hundred, sixty-seven... three hundred, sixty-eight... three hundred, sixty nine..." 

_'Lets do a check off list... people who care about Knuckles; Tail... check. Sally... check. Tikal... check. Me... check. Any sane person in Knothole... check.'_

"Four hundred, eighty-three... four hundred, eighty-four... four hundred, eighty-five... four hundred, eighty-eight..." 

_'Now... out of those people, who care about them so just that it hurts... Tails... don't know, possibly a check. Sally... well, she cares that it would sting, but not hurt. Tikal... double check. Me... check. Any sane person in Knothole... no.'_

"Five hundred-eleven... five hundred-twelve... five hundred-thirteen... five hundred-fourteen... five hundred-fifteen..." 

_'Out of the remaining people, how many of them do they care so much they would die for him... Tails... no. Sally... no. Tikal... check. Me... double check.'_

"Six hundred... six hundred-one... six hundred-two... six hundred-three... six hundred-four... six hundred-five..." 

_'So... Tikal and I are tied? Hmm... Yeah, he would probably prefer Tikal... and lets face it, he's probably straight so he wouldn't even look at me like that.'_

"Seven hundred, fifty-eight... seven hundred, fifty-nine... seven hundred-sixty... seven hundred, sixty-one..." 

_'I mean... why would he? He hates me... we always fight...'_

"Eight hundred, thirty-one... eight hundred, thirty-two... eight hundred, thirty-three..." 

_'He would... be disgusted... he doesn't care about me... it sure the hell don't hurt him because he cares so much, and he wouldn't die for me... so why do I care?'_

"Nine hundred, ninety-seven... nine hundred, ninety-eight... nine hundred, ninety-nine... one thousand..." 

Sonic slumped down onto the soft grass beneath him, enjoying the fragment cushion it created for him. He closed his eyes, drifting off to near sleep. 

_'I love him...'_

He woke up, pushing himself up onto his hands as he looked out in front of him. Not bothering to stand up straight, he stretched out his triceps, muttering meaningless words under his breath. 

Finishing quickly, he stood up, and looked at the sky. It took him a moment to realize that his feet were jogging him slowly up the mountain. He stopped for a moment and frowned, but then revved up and sped up the rest of the way. 

He stopped outside of the cavern that he knew the Master Emerald was in. His heart started racing again... 

He just _knew_ that he was in there... 

_'What if he hates me?' _

'What if he doesn't?' 

'What if he doesn't want to talk to me?' 

'What if he does?' 

"Stupid mind..." Sonic cursed; he took a deep breath, and stepped into the opening. 

There was Knuckles, leaning against the wall, eyes closed and in thought. Sonic would of been content to just stand there, watching him like that forever... 

He even had a smile on his face! 

Sonic took another deep breath, hoping that it would calm him nerves, and leaned against the rocks, hoping to seem normal. 

"Hey Knucklehead!" he yelled out; it echoed a little, but Knuckles looked up at him as soon as the words were uttered. Sonic shivered at his gaze. "Tut, tut... didn't you hear me? I was making a racket..." 

Knuckles glared at him. 

Sonic wondered where the sound of a stone dropping into a bottomless abyss of water came from... then he realized that it was his heart. 

"Didn't I tell you to leave?" Sonic didn't know what he hated the most now... the Knuckles not caring, Knuckles hating, or Knuckles yelling. 

They were all horrible... 

"Awe..." Sonic forced out a smirk. He needed to be his cocky self again... that way they could just fight and he could leave sooner. "Do you really think I would just abandon my buddy?" 

Then again... it would only end up with him bed-ridden for a week because he didn't have the heart to hit Knuckles back... 

"I'm not your buddy," Knuckles glared more; Sonic hadn't thought his heart could drop farther, but it did. "I would rather die then be your buddy." 

But that just killed him. 

He stared at him, willing the tears not to form at his eyes. He didn't cry. Sure... he loved Knuckles to death, he would settle himself with that, but he wouldn't cry in front of him. 

He wouldn't be weak in front of him. 

"You don't mean that..." Sonic said after what seemed like an eternity. He looked down, the remnants of his heart still breaking into smaller and smaller pieces that embedded themselves into his lungs, making it hard to breathe. 

He wasn't trying to convince Knuckles. 

He was trying to convince himself. 

"Why wouldn't I?" it sounded more like a challenge then a statement or a question, and Sonic rose himself to it. 

Maybe... just maybe... he could change his mind? 

"You can't hate me that much," Sonic knew he probably sounded as if he were pleading now... but he really didn't care. Droplets of moisture welled at his eyes, and it took Sonic a moment to realize that they were now travelling down his cheeks... "I mean... sometimes I think you want me dead more then Robotnik does." 

_'Oh god... please say you don't...'_

"Maybe I do!" Sonic flinched when Knuckles yelled; it hurt. "Just leave!" 

Sonic stood there for a moment, letting the tears fall freely down his face. 

_'I have nothing else to lose... he hates me already...'_

"No," he looked up at Knuckles. 

Sonic thought quickly about anything to say. He decided on the fact that Knuckles was always either in one of two moods. He just... modified it a little. 

So maybe it wasn't true... it was something to say. 

"I've seen the looks you have to yourself..." Sonic took a short breath and continued. "As if you're battling yourself. I've seen it before. I've been in battle. What are you so afraid of?" 

Knuckles was shocked into silence at the answer, and just stared at him. Sonic felt... 

What did he feel? 

He didn't know how to describe the fluttering sensation or the awkward way his heart was beating. He just burned the amethyst hue of Knuckles' eyes into his mind forever... 

Knuckles looked down, and Sonic frowned slightly. He wanted to see his eyes again... 

There was something that drew him to them... 

"What are you afraid of?" he asked again in vain attempt. After a moment, Knuckles didn't look up. 

But he did answer. 

"The..." he faltered for a moment. "The silence... the loneliness..." 

Sonic's heart was slowly starting to repair now... 

This happened a lot. He would fall in love with Knuckles all over again... 

"Then why do you want me to leave?" Sonic asked; he hoped that his voice didn't voice weak and pleading as he thought it did. He just looked at Knuckles. 

Finally, Knuckles looked back up at him. Sonic was startled by something in his eyes... the something that he saw before... 

The something in his own eyes... 

"I spent my whole life hating everyone," Knuckles said finally; Sonic had to take a step forwards to catch every word. "It was easier then living without friends... Guardians can't have friends. It's a weakness..." 

"Friends aren't weaknesses..." Sonic was startled by Knuckles' response. Why would he think that he didn't have friends? "Friend can help you... always." 

"Don't you think I know that?" Knuckles snapped; there, underneath the anger in his voice, was fear and sorrow. "But they can't help you if they aren't your friends in the first place!" 

Sonic felt the pieces of his heart slowly retrieve themselves from their new home in his lungs and eventually fix themselves. His heart started beating slowly, yet strong. 

Sonic looked at Knuckled, and then ran up in front of him. He just wanted to kiss the Echidna... 

They were so close... 

But instead, he just pushed himself a fraction of a millimeter closer. 

Surprise entered Knuckles' eyes, and he tried to push Sonic away. Sonic grabbed onto his hands and pulled them to his chest, still looking at Knuckles. 

_'Damn it... get your thoughts under control..._

"I can help you if you trust me..." Sonic could barely hear himself, ad doubted if Knuckles' could. But still, the Echidna's ears twitched slightly, signifying that he had. "Do you trust me?" 

Knuckles didn't answer. Sonic felt his heart start to tear away again, but fought against it. 

Knuckles wasn't worth another heart break... was he? 

_'Yes... yes he is...'_

"Come with me back to Knothole," Sonic looked away from Knuckles, and started to walk to the edge of the island, pulling Knuckles with him. "I can show you that you have friends..." 

Surprisingly enough, Knuckles didn't fight him. Sonic had to smile at this; a smile that Knuckles couldn't see. 

He walked the paths that he had mesmerized, slowly getting nearer and nearer to the side of Angel Island. He tried his hardest to remember every single detail and thing that happened; these few minutes would keep him alive in up coming months... 

Sonic blinked when he saw the edge of Angel Island, and bit back a sigh. He must of been walking faster then he thought... now he got less time on just a peaceful walk with Knuckles... 

Sonic settled onto the edge of the Island; he looked down, stomach clenching when he saw the water below. 

"Tails won't be here for a few hours yet," he said calmly; he didn't feel calm. "So we'll just have to- ACK!" 

_in the arms of an angel_

Sonic wasn't used to this... 

He looked around him quickly as the air whipped past them. 

"Jeez... warn me next time!" 

_'No... Don't warn me... that was actually kind of nice...'_

He had to admit it... now he was in Knuckles' arms, gilding down to Mobius. Why wouldn't he be enjoying this? 

Hesitantly, Sonic turned around. He took a hold on Knuckles, blushing slightly, though he couldn't see it. 

Then four things happened. 

Knuckles let go of Sonic's waist. 

Said action made Sonic's heart drop, and made him think that Knuckles was letting him go. 

He screamed. 

They slowed down. 

"AHHH!!!" Sonic was panicking; more so that Knuckles was 'dropping' him then to falling into water, but that freaked him out too. "We're over top of WATER! Are you crazy!" 

_fly away from here_

"Trust is a two way thing," Knuckles' hissed at him. Sonic calmed down, biting his lip again; he did it again... he did something wrong... "And you ask if I trust you..." 

Sonic just buried his head in Knuckles' shoulder, trying not to cry. 

"Sorry Knux..." he said softly. "Didn't mean it like that..." 

_from this dark cold hotel room  
and the endlessness that you fear_

Eventually, Sonic fell asleep. 

He liked it there... flying in the sky with Knuckles... 

**_//Dream//_**

Laughing... so much laughing. 

And Sonic knew whom it belonged to. It had been a long time since he heard it... but he would know it anywhere. 

"Where are you love?" Sonic laughed back. He knew who it was... 

More laughing. 

Sonic smiled, and zipped along the plains. Suddenly the ground ran out, and he was falling... 

And then his decent stopped. His breath hitching in his throat, he looked up to see Amethyst eyes looking back at him... 

**//End//**

"Mmm..." Sonic realized he had fallen asleep, and tried to wake up. He felt his weight shift. "Hmm... Where are we?" 

"I was hoping you could answer that," Knuckles answered; Sonic cracked open one eye just a little. 

Knuckles looked... vulnerable. 

"Mmm... 'Kay..." Sonic stretched, and moved a little, and felt comforting weights on his arms leave him. "Give me a second..." 

And he bolted. He started in the direction he hoped Knothole was in, looking for some sort of landmark. 

After a few seconds, he saw a rock embedded into the ground. Stopping, he looked at it, and then smiled. Looking around, sure enough, he saw a forest about a mile to the right. Laughing, he bolted back to where Knuckles was. He stopped though, at a fair distance away. 

He could barely believe it... 

The look that he had said that Knuckles had... he had it now... 

"Hey!" Knuckles looked up at him. "Knothole is just a mile or two to the right! You had us in almost the right direction!" Knuckles grinned a little, and Sonic went up to him, grabbing his wrist. "Hold on tight," was all the warning he gave, before speeding off. 

He went his full speed, wanting to get to Knothole as soon as possible. 

_you are pulled from the wreckage  
of your silent reverie_

Sonic stopped just outside of the village, and started walking. He walked slowly, letting Knuckles get over what had just happened. He recovered quickly, and caught up to him. 

"Sally!" Sonic called, not leaving room for Knuckles' to ask anything; he didn't know if it were wise to call Sally... but it was better if he did. "Sally! Where are you?" 

"Yes Sonic," the petite squirrel asked when she got there in a few minutes. 

"Brought us a guest," Sonic smiled sheepishly, and Sally laughed. 

"I saw that," Sally smiled; from the corner of his eye, Sonic saw Knuckles' drift off into thought. Sally gestured for Sonic to come forwards, and then started to whisper in his ear. 

"Was it wise for you to bring him here?" she asked. "After all..." 

"I'm trying to help him," Sonic stepped back; he glared at Sally a little, and she didn't respond. 

"Is there anything you would like Knuckles?" Sally asked, turning to the Echidna; Sonic almost laughed when he suddenly looked up, slightly puzzled. 

"No thank you," Knuckles shook his head. Sonic smiled and looked at him fully. 

"There must be SOMETHING that you would like," Sonic ignored the smile that Sally had. "Anything I can help you with?" 

_you're in the arms of the angel  
may you find some comfort there_

"Yeah," Knuckles sneered a little, and turned to walk away. "Beat it." 

Sonic just stood there rooted to the spot. 

He wanted to run after him... but he had already interfered with him enough today... 

_'He probably hates me now... well... more then he did before...'_

A small hand pushed him forwards, and he looked back at Sally. 

"Go," she smiled. That was all Sonic needed... 

_so tired of the straight line  
and everywhere you turn_

In a flash, Sonic was behind Knuckles and put his hands on his shoulders, forcing him to stop. 

"Oh no ya don't..." Sonic said, pulling him backwards a bit. He refused to believe that was for his own benefit... "I don't mind you being a sour puss, but you're staying. You'll have to learn sooner or later to trust me, we might as well make it sooner." 

"Fine..." Knuckles grumbled. Sonic smiled secretly. 

"Come on..." Sonic started to lead him away again. "I'll take you to your hut..." 

_there's vultures and thieves at your back_

And so it went like that... sometimes there were good days, sometimes there were bad days. Mostly bad days. 

Today, was a bad day. 

_and the storm keeps on twisting  
you keep on building the lie_

"WHY are you trying to leave?" Sonic asked. He had two cuts along his side, and a bad one along his leg. Knuckles lunged again, winding Sonic, and then stepped back, waiting for him to recover. 

"I have to get back to my island," Knuckles said simply. 

Sonic pushed himself up to stand, and then looked at Knuckles, a smile twisting at his lips. He didn't know why, but he found this humorous. 

"That island is everything to you," he continued to laugh. "When will you learn that we do keep Robotnik away from it? You've seen the security systems we put up to make sure you don't have to deal with him!" 

Knuckles wasn't listening. He knew that much. Frowning a little, his laughing stopped. 

"Knuckles?" 

"Maybe another day," Knuckles said, and started to head back to his hut. 

Sonic watched him leave and enter his hut, and then started pacing in a circle. He kept looking up at Knuckles' hut, but would look down soon after. 

_'Don't go after him... you can get over him... you will get over him... going after him will only make him hate you more...'_

_that you make up for all that you lack_

_'And because you could never deserve him...'_

Sonic sighed, and started for Knuckles' hut... 

"Yo Knux! You in here!" That was stupid... he knew he was. He watched him come. Sonic waited a second, and then entered; he grinned at Knuckles sitting on his bed. "Oh there you are... was wondering where you got to... so... do you trust me yet?" 

Sonic didn't know where it came from... he asked it too much now to be bothered by it though. 

"Why don't you ever fight back?" Knuckles asked; the question shocked Sonic, and he just looked at Knuckles for a moment. 

He refrained himself from saying _'Why would I want to hurt you?'_... 

_it don't make no difference  
escaping one last time_

"What?" Sonic asked at last, sitting down beside Knuckles. 

"Whenever we fight," Knuckles said; he sounded hesitant and rushed at the same time. "You always let me hurt you... you never actually fight back..." 

There was a slight sorrow on his voice that Sonic had to strain to hear, but heard. Breathing lightly, he closed his eyes for a moment and thought about everything that might happen if he actually told him... 

So he just told the truth in the most simple, non-suicidal way... 

"Why would I?" 

Sonic looked up at him, listening carefully; if there was anything on his voice, he would tell him... anything at all... 

"Sonic..." and there it was... Sonic couldn't identify it, but in that one simple word was more emotion then Sonic had ever heard Knuckles say... 

"Yes?" Sonic's throat was dry as he waited for whatever Knuckles had to say... 

"Nothing..." Knuckles shook his head slightly as he got up and headed for the door. 

"Where are you going?" Sonic panicked slightly, and stood up. But he didn't dare to follow... 

"I don't know..." Knuckles said, and continued to leave. Sonic just stood there... 

He was leaving... 

Biting his lip, Sonic fought himself not to run after him and plead him to stay... plead him to give his love a chance... plead him not to hate him... 

_'No...'_ Sonic looked down, but then thought of something. _'But I still have to convince him that he has friends... I can't let him leave yet!'_

_it's easier to believe in this sweet madness oh  
this glorious sadness that brings me to my knees_

Sonic zoomed up and caught up to Knuckles as he was entering the forest. Knuckles almost ran into him, and stepped back. 

"How many times must I tell you?" Sonic asked, trying to sound irritated. "You are STAYING." 

"I'll only cause you more pain," Knuckles answered him; the words confused Sonic. Why would Knuckles care if he were in pain? "You don't need more pain... too many people look up to you." 

"Knuc-" Sonic was put to silence as Knuckles leaned forwards and kissed him. 

Sonic closed his eyes enjoying the moment of heaven. 

Knuckles pulled him forwards, but then pushed him away with a roughness that almost sent him off balance. 

_in the arms of an angel  
fly away from here_

Knuckles looked at him, and then ran. Sonic stood there, shocked, but smiling. Slowly, he raised a hand to his lips. 

He could still feel the softness... 

Still taste the sweetness... 

But... why? 

Sonic looked in the direction that Knuckles went, and then sped off. He was in front of him in a moment, and Knuckles ran into them, sending Knuckles to the ground. 

"Why did you kiss me?" Sonic asked breathlessly. 

"Why don't you ever fight back?" Knuckles sent back. 

_from this dark cold hotel room  
and the endlessness that you fear_

Sonic's heart was flying... for once it was fully intact after talking to Knuckles too! 

Maybe... maybe he felt the same way? 

Maybe, just maybe, he had a chance? 

He didn't know WHY, but maybe he did... 

_you are pulled from the wreckage  
of your silent reverie_

"Because..." Sonic offered Knuckles a hand, and after a moment he took it. Pulling Knuckles up to eye level with him, he smiled; not a grin, not a smirk. A real, genuine smile. "Because I love you..." 

Knuckles didn't answer for awhile 

"I..." Knuckles started after awhile. Sonic smiled more, his heart beating frantically. "I've got to get back to my island..." 

Then Knuckles pushed past him and started to walk away. Sonic watched him, smiling more now. 

_you're in the arms of the angel_

Suddenly, without him even knowing it, he was in front of Knuckles again. He wondered for a moment when he had decided to move, but he really didn't care. 

"Come on Knuckles," Sonic continued to smile. "Let's go home..." 

"I _am_ going home..." Knuckles' eyes narrowed dangerously, but Sonic still smiled. He knew the façade now. 

_may you find some comfort there_

"Home is where the heart is..." whispered calmly. 

"Guardian's don't have hearts," Knuckles said venomously. 

"I'll just have to give you one then," Sonic leaned forwards, and kissed him. He lapped at Knuckles' lips for a moment, and pulled away. 

He could tell by the breathless expression Knuckles was wearing to match his own, that he wanted more. 

_you're in the arms of the angel_

"A heart huh?" Knuckles looked more calm now; less hating. "I don't think I deserve one; no one really cares." 

Sonic laughed. 

_'He'll never give up; but now that I know, neither will I...'_

"I care you silly Echidna," Sonic kissed him again, same as before. 

"But won't everyone think that you have fallen under the clutches of a mindless and brutal bastard?" Knuckles asked; he looked almost... scared. 

"That's because I have; fallen head over heels..." Sonic said with a smirk. "And frankly, they don't give a shit at all. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if the entire village passed by without saying a word..." 

Knuckles looked at him, love and shock filling his eyes. 

"I don' believe you..." Sonic sighed as he started walking away again. 

He started to take a step, but stopped himself. 

_'I can play this game too; I can play the game of heart break...'_

"I care Knuckles," Sonic called; he turned and started back at a jog slow enough that he could catch up. "I care... but I can't run after you forever..." 

But still, Sonic managed to get to his hut. Biting his lip, he sat down on his bed, and looked up at the roof. He let himself fall backwards. 

_'He isn't coming back, is he?'_

Tears started to well in his eyes. 

"Don't cry... I didn't mean to hurt you..." 

Smiling, he sat up. 

Knuckles was there, waiting at the door. 

_may you find some comfort here_

_~Owari_


End file.
